Every ounce poured down the drain was paid for. Where draft waste comes from and how to reduce it.
Draft beer can be one of the most profitable things a bar sells — when what is in the keg makes it into a glass and onto a check. Waste chips away at that margin quietly, a pour at a time.
Where draft waste comes from
- Excessive foam poured off to fill a glass
- Pours dumped because they look or taste wrong
- Beer lost when lines are flushed to clear a problem
- Leaks at couplers, fittings and faucets
- Kegs that go off before they are finished
Do the math for your own bar
Multiply the pours in a keg by your price per pour, then by the share lost to foam and waste, and by the kegs you go through in a year. Small percentages add up quickly — try our draft profit calculator with your own numbers.
Reducing avoidable waste
Most waste traces back to temperature, pressure, gas, line condition and equipment. Appropriate equipment selection, system balance and preventative maintenance help keep pours consistent — and keep more of each keg on the bill.